This Canto speaks of Lúthien Tinúviel after the departure of Beren and how she went to her mother Melian and friend Dairon, begging for aid, from the first foresight and from the second music. Melian said that Beren was in the dungeons of Thû, and Dairon refused to play any music. A second time Dairon betrayed her, this time out of love, to her father Thingol, who placed her in a guarded treehouse. But by magic she grew out her hair and made a robe and rope of it "a magic dress / that all was drenched in drowsiness". Lowering the rope she put to sleep her guards and escaped.

Lúthien Escapes the Treehouse by Ted Nasmith. Note:There are several innacuracies; see below

Concerning the Canto

After Beren is gone, the forest falls into solemn silence:

So days drew on from the mournful day;the curse of silence no more layon Doriath, though Dairon's fluteand Lúthien's singing both were mute.

After learning from Melian of Beren's fate, she seeks comfort in Dairon, begging him to make her music to aid her heart.

On earth she cast her at his side. 'O Dairon, Dairon, my tears,' she cried, 'now pity for our old days' sake! for heart's despair, and for heart's dread for light gone dakr and laughter dead!'

But "for music dead there is no note", replies Dairon, though he plays a wailing melody that causes all creatures, birds and elves, to forget their happiness. Though Lúthien entreats him then to come with her to seek Beren, he replies firmly

'Wherefore,' said he, 'should Dairon gointo direst peril earth doth knowfor the sake of mortal who did stealhis laughter and joy? No love I feelfor Beren son of Barahir,nor weep for him in dungeons drear,who in this wood have chains enow,heavy and dark. But thee, I vow,I will defend from perils felland deadly wandering into hell.'

This indeed does Dairon do, for he warns the King of Lúthien's apparent madness. Thingol "in angry love and half in fear" locks her up in a treehouse, not wanting to bind her in his caverns. Lúthien, though forgiving Dairon, pines for Beren.

Yet long the hours when she must sitand see the subeams dance and flitin beechen leaves, or watch the starspeep on clear nights between the barsof beechen brancehs. And one nightjust ere the changing of the lighta dream there came, from the Gods, maybe,or Melian's magic. She dreamed that sheheard Beren's voice o'er hill and fell 'Tinúviel' call, 'Tinúviel.'And her heart answered 'Let me be goneto seek him no others think upon!'

Following is a detailed description of her magic art to grow out her hair. Then she weaves them with a borrowed loom

. . . Of cloudy hairshe wove a web like misty airof moonless night, and thereof madea robe as fluttering-dark as shadebeneath great trees, a magic dressthat all was drenched with drowsiness.

And finally as the sun goes down she causes the guards to fall asleep with the rope, and

Now clad as in a colud she hung;now down her ropéd hair she swungas light as squirrel, and away,away, she danced, and who could saywhat paths she took, whose elvish feetno impress made a-dancing fleet?